Some occupations and hobbies require that individuals change their attire during the time they are engaged in their efforts. For example, entertainers and recitalists are often required to change costumes, makeup, or both during various periods of their performances. While larger entertainment halls sometimes provide dressing rooms or facilities that allow for the storage of costumes and grooming articles, those facilities are rarely found in the vast majority of performance sites. As a result, entertainers performing at those limited venues where facilities are sparse, are unable to adequately store their costumes and grooming articles in a way that is efficient and convenient.
Such devices are generally known as “costumers” and several designs have been offered for various types of garment racks that have varying degrees of transportability or utility. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,574 offers one type of costumer. While the device disclosed in that patent is identified as a costumer, there are a number of deficiencies that do not fulfill all of the needs of the user. The design of this invention does not locate the center of gravity in a manner that enhances the ability of the invention to remain upright when loaded with heavy articles. Additionally, there are limited numbers of hanging devices for clothing and there is no component at all that provides any storage for grooming articles, small items, or other accessories. Finally, there is very little transportability of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,248 also discloses an adjustable garment rack. While the device has some telescoping features that generally provide for some limited portability, the device lacks any kind of tray or component that would allow for the placement and storage of any types of grooming articles, small items, or other accessories. The base of the invention does not appear to be collapsible making transportability problematic for this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,961 discloses a garment rack that can be collapsed for transportation or storage. When assembled the rack has four short legs that protrude from a central vertical support assembly that is hinged near the center to allow the vertical support to be folded. The rack includes two shoulder members that fold away from the central vertical support assembly to allow for the hanging of an upper garment such as a shirt, blouse, or jacket. An additional hanger extension having a number of serrated edges is also foldabley extended from the central vertical support to allow for the hanging of a number of garment hangers similar to a standard coat hanger. Another extension head telescopes from the upper end of the central vertical support to allow for additional hanging of garments. However, the invention does not disclose a tray of any kind for storing miscellaneous grooming items such as combs, brushes, small items, or other accessories, etc. Additionally, the design of this invention does not locate the center of gravity in a manner that enhances the ability of the invention to remain upright when loaded with heavy articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,525,701 also discloses a garment rack that is portable and collapsible. The rack consists of a central vertical support, three lower folding legs, a number of coat hooks near the upper end of the central vertical support, and an array of hanging rods at the upper end of the central vertical support. However, as with the other above inventions, the invention does not disclose a tray of any kind for storing miscellaneous grooming items such as combs, brushes, small items, or other accessories, etc.
The device in U.S. Pat. No. 1,176,563 also discloses a garment rack. The rack includes a foldable central vertical support, three foldable lower legs, a trouser hanging rod, and an upper garment hanging rod. Once again, however, the invention does not disclose a tray of any kind for storing miscellaneous grooming items such as combs, brushes, small items, or other accessories, etc.
As can be seen, all of the devices shown in these patents offer some type of portable garment rack for hanging clothes, however, none of these devices fulfill all the needs of an entertainer.